Collaborative Research: CI-TEAM Demonstration Project for Real-Time Interactive and Collaborative Cyberinfrastructure for Teaching and Training for Hands-on Nanotechnology

这个项目建议展示一个新的实时互动和协作的网络基础设施，用于教学和培训动手纳米技术。该方法基于互联网和机器人技术的最新进展，为涉及纳米技术的大学生和专业人员提供新的和创新的教学和培训方法。这个项目的目标是展示我们新开发的网络基础设施如何使不同地理位置的人们一起工作或学习，并能够控制远程纳米制造系统或基于触觉反馈的科学仪器，如力反射以及视频和音频反馈。从而实现安全、可靠、高效的基于internet的协作学习环境。该计划的主要组成部分包括：(1)应用基于互联网的机器人技术和协作学习方法，将新技术和新的科学仪器与受地方和经济限制的各级学生联系起来；(2)应用基于互联网的超媒体（视频、音频、触觉、温度等感官反馈）技术，将学生与无形环境（如远程纳米环境）联系起来，支持互动协作和学习；(3)对超媒体互动和协作环境的有效性和效率进行定量评估和分析，以进行纳米技术的教学和培训；(4)最终为为广大学生服务的许多其他机构大规模采用的技术奠定基础。该项目的研究成果不仅将对工程领域产生影响，而且将对科学和社会的广泛领域产生影响：1)显著提高实时交互和协作技术的可及性；(2)为互联网技术的应用提供了新的维度，使互联网成为行动高速公路，而不仅仅是信息高速公路；(3)为学生和专业人士提供学习和了解纳米技术、纳米制造、机器人技术和信息技术的新途径，特别是弱势群体和初高中学生；(4)提供以成本为基础的技术，这是一种具有成本效益的方式，以创造多样化和具有国际意识的未来劳动力。

This project proposes to demonstrate a new real-time interactive and collaborative cyberinfrastructure for teaching and training hands-on nanotechnology. The approach is based on the recent advances in Internet and robotics technologies to enable new and innovative methods of teaching and training for university students and professionals involved with nanotechnology. The goal of this proposed project is to demonstrate how our newly developed cyberinfrastructure will enable people at different geographic locations to work or learn together and be able to control a remote nanomanufacturing system or scientific instruments based on haptic feedback such as force refection in addition to video and audio feedback. As a result, safe, reliable and efficient Internet-based collaboration and learning environment can be achieved. The major components of this proposed project include (1) applying Internet-based robotics technology and collaborative learning methods to tie new technologies and new scientific instruments with the place-bound and economically-bound students at all levels; (2) applying Internet-based supermedia (video, audio, haptic, temperature and other sensory feedback) technology to tie students with intangible environments, such as remote nano environments, to support interactive collaboration and learning; (3) conducting a quantitative evaluation and analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of the supermedia enabled interactive and collaborative environment for teaching and training hands-on nanotechnology; (4) finally creating the foundation of technology that can be adopted on a large scale to many other institutions that serve a wide range of students. The results of this project will have impact not only in the engineering fields, but also broad areas of science and the society by (1) significantly enhancing the accessibility of real-time interactive and collaborative technologies; (2) providing a new dimension to the application of Internet technology, which enables the Internet to become an action superhighway instead of only an information superhighway; (3) facilitating students and professionals with new means to learn and understand nanotechnology, nanomanufacturing, robotics and information technology, especially those from under represented groups as well as middle school/high school students; (4) providing the technological based for cost a cost effective way to create a diverse and international aware future work force.